Deus Ex Machina
by KibaElunal
Summary: New Freddy's employee Justin Smith has an ulterior motive. The job's crap and pays even crappier, but it's the only way he'll be track down someone special to him. Meanwhile, Chika has been seeing strange scenes when she's in standby. Images of places and locations she's never seen, and words that aren't in her data banks. Will Justin live long enough to find his friend?
1. Chapter 1

I could feel myself starting to sweat as the manager stared at the white piece of paper I'd given him. "So, let me get this straight, Mr…"

"Smith," I answered. "Justin Smith."

"Mr. Smith. You graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Criminology, worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for two years as a profiler. According to your references, you're a model employee and you've never missed a day of work. I even have your IQ test here, and it says...well, I think you know what it says already."

"Yes sir. I am legally registered as 'gifted'."

"Quite," he sniffed. Already my mind made a thousand calculations about this guy. Left-handed. Wears a button down because it's mandatory, but knowingly keeps half of it untucked as a sign of disdain for his job, but not far enough that he couldn't deny it being an accident. His breath reeked of cheap booze that brought me back to my hay days here at Freddy Fazbear's. It was actually kind of sad to see the way even the staff taken a dive alongside the restaurant. "If I may ask you, Mr. Smith, why exactly do you want to work here at Freddy's? Surely with your accreditations you could find something better."

 _Better than this shit hole? Definitely_. "I wasn't in that line of work for the money, sir. I always wanted adventure and excitement. Now though, I'm kind of sick of it all. I think I'd prefer a job where I can just relax and not worry about getting shot at."

"Well, I suppose you came to the right place then. Nothing ever really happens around here. It's a pretty sleepy little town."

"Yes, sir. This is actually my hometown. I grew up here."

"Ah. Well, welcome back. Anyway, if you're absolutely sure you want to work here…"

"Oh, yes sir. I think this job would be perfect for me."

"Well, you'll be on the graveyard shift. I'm afraid that the pay isn't much either. About 100$ a week is all I can afford."

 _100 a week?! That's highway robbery!_ Still I maintained my polite smile. "That'll be fine sir. I trust that covers my uniform?"

"There ain't one."

"Training?"

"Nope."

"Orientation?"

"No can do. Sorry hoss, but you're flying solo on this job."

We both stood as he offered me his hand. I shook it firmly. "When do I start?"

He smirked. "Tonight."

* * *

As the daytime guard passed me, he gave me a tip of his hat and vanished into the night. The door swung closed, causing the small bell hanging above it to ring sweetly. Turning the deadbolt, there was a heavy 'chunk'. I was officially locked in now. Alone.

Perfect. Now was my chance to get some answers. Flicking on my flashlight, I began to patrol. It was astounding how little had changed during my absence. Everything was just as I remembered. The same old tables with kids names scratched into it. The dirty greasy ball pit that you could have sworn was home to at least a thousand different infectious bacteria. And most importantly…

I stopped, looking up at the stage. Standing there was the whole gang. Freddy, Bonnie, and Chika. Man they really swapped out her model for something more...feminine. "C'mon guys," I murmured. "Were the tits and hips really necessary?"

With a sigh, I turned away from the stage, and continued towards my post. I knew in there I'd find the archives I was looking for. The newspapers had called him 'The Freddy Flayer'. Almost a dozen kids went missing shortly after the incident in 1987 when a small boy was practically lobotomized by Freddy. A few showed up dead, missing their flesh and tortured. Others didn't.

While I wasn't so concerned about the boy who suffered from the bite of '87 as others had taken to calling it, my worries hit close to home. There was a girl. You could say she was my first love. Her name was Casey and we used to do everything together. She was the literal girl next door. She'd had a summer job here at Freddy's when she was sixteen. Then one night, she just disappeared.

While she had a bit of a troubled home life, I knew in my heart that this wasn't a runaway. Something or someone took her. I spent the rest of my young adult life doing everything I could to get to this point. The point where I'd be able to track down my first love, dead or alive. This was my first step.

Taking my keys I opened the security room. Sure enough, just as the manager had described, everything was on a power grid. A shoddy one at that. Thankfully, I'd turned off most of the non-vital electrical functions: spring-loaded locks, anything but the safety lights, and most importantly the video recorder. Without that, no one would have any idea what my real plan was.

Nodding in satisfaction, I set to work. Grabbing an old box from the archives labeled 'June 1987' I blew the dust from the top, opened it, grabbed the first tape and popped it into the VCR that was beneath the TV.

Sure enough, the screens flicked on, showing the CCTV footage from all those years ago. My eyes zoomed in on the images, searching for her face until finally, there she was. My heart skipped a beat as I watched her reach up to get a prize for one of the children.

Even now I thought she was beautiful. Without a thought, I reached for the screen. My fingertips brushed against her image and I could feel tears starting to form. Damn it. It'd been so long and I still couldn't even stomach looking at her without breaking into tears. "I swear to you Casey," I whispered. "I _will_ find you and I _will_ bring you home where you belong." To be honest after so long, I didn't know what would be worse: finding out she was dead...or finding out she wasn't.

I watched the tape on fast forward for at least an hour. Nothing spectacular happened. She came in for her shift. She worked. She left. That's it. While normally many would think to start on the tape dated for when she disappeared, I knew better. People who pulled off long streaks of crimes like this were smart. They planned for things: problems, surprises, issues. But planning took time. Thus, it was better to start earlier that month. Find the guy making the plans, find Casey.

Having finished the first tape, I ejected it and placed it back in the box. Standing up, I went to the bathroom. I wanted to relieve myself before I started the next tape. After washing my hands, I stepped outside, only to hear a heavy 'clunk' further down the hallway.

The hell? I turned my head to look at the source of the noise and my blood ran cold. Standing there, eyes aglow, with his big, stupid, grin was Freddy Fazbear himself. "Haha! Funny guys," I called out. "Freak out the new guy, right? You're going to have to do better than that. I'm not a six year old, you know?"

There was no sound. Freddy took another step as a haunting melody began to play through the air. He was moving by himself. The animatronic was moving towards me by himself. " _Hello, kids!"_ His voice box greeted. " _Remember: No running! When we run, people get hurt."_ He took another step, and I was done. Immediately, I bolted for the office. I could hear the clanking of his heavy footsteps behind me.

 _Shit, shit, shit!_ I didn't care if this was a prank. I didn't care if people laughed at me and mocked me. There was no way I was going to let this _thing_ catch me. I slid into the office at break neck speed, flipping all of the switches I could to reactivate the power. Just as he reached the office I slammed my fist into the switch and the door shut with a heavy crash.

My chest rose and fell as I backed away from the door. I could hear his fists striking the steel again and again. " _Don't play in the restricted areas kids! That's just for me and the crew!"_ he echoed through it.

That's when I heard another clanging behind me. I whirled around to come face to face with Bonnie, arms outstretched towards me. " _Hey little fella! Want to play with me? It's dangerous in there!"_

I hit the button so fast his arm was nearly caught in the door. Part of me wished it'd taken it off of him. Turning back, I could see that the power grid now read 80%. FUCK! The power! The moment it went out these doors would open and I'd be a sitting duck.

I immediately flipped off the lights, bathing everything in darkness. I sat there, breathing heavily as I listened to the sounds of the animatronics shuffling around outside. What the hell was going on?

That's when the phone rang. I nearly jumped out of my skin, but still I reached out to lift it off its cradle and put it to my ears. "Hello? Hello?" the voice called.

"H-hello?" I replied.

"Hey there, sport. Sorry to interrupt. I heard that Freddy's got a new night watchman. Now I doubt that nincompoop of a manager told you, but there's something you need to know about the job."

"You don't say?" I panted.

"Sounds to me like you've already found out. Listen up, kiddo. Those animatronics are out to get you. Once they get their hands on you, they plan on putting you into a costume. Those are the rules, you see? Cast members all gotta be in costume. Problem is, the costume they want you in is filled with about half a ton of steel and wires, and they're not too gentle about making you fit, saavy?"

"Well, then what the hell am I supposed to do?!" I demanded. "No one told me anything about killer robots!"

"Welcome to the family, kid. Your best bet is to conserve your power. Shut off the lights, and anything else you don't need. Fan in the room works better than using the A/C. And be sure to check the CCTV's regularly. You don't have enough power to keep those doors shut all night, so I'd recommend watching the animatronics through the TV and shutting them only when they're around."

Sure enough, I couldn't hear them shuffling around anymore. I pulsed the lights quickly to make sure they were gone, and when I'd confirmed they were, I opened the doors again. "Anything else?"

"Yep. Look at camera 11."

I tilted my head and peered at it.

"You see a music box?"

"Yeah, I see it."

"Use the remote. Keep that sucker cranked! You don't want to know what happens to the poor sod who lets it completely unwind."

"Wait...why?"

"Anyway, I gotta go now. Don't want to waste your power by hogging up the line. Especially keep an eye out for Foxy. He don't take kindly to strangers."

With a click, the line went dead. I wound up the music box quickly, allowing it to continue its tinny melody. Grabbing a flashlight from the drawer, I peered outside, shining it down the first hallway. Nothing.

Peering down the other, again, there was nothing. This was insane. Absolutely insane. Killer animatronics? Music boxes? What in the hell was going on?

* * *

Chika's eyes whirred as she stared down at the new night watchman. A sense of familiarity was forming in her chest, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. " _What's wrong, Chika?"_ Freddy asked once the man had left.

Her yellow head swiveled to regard her friend. " _I'm not sure,"_ she admitted.

" _It's about time we got a new plaything,"_ Bonnie commented, also beginning to move his joints. Each of the Animatronics shuddered as they stretched their mechanical limbs, working out the stiffness from standing still for so long. " _What's the plan, boss bear? The typical dash and crash?"_

If Chika was capable of changing facial expressions, she'd have frowned. " _Do we have to?"_ she asked. " _This one's kind of cute."_

" _You know we do, Chika,"_ Freddy told her. " _Do you remember what happened when_ _ **he**_ _was the nightguard? We have a sacred duty to the children to make sure they're safe."_

" _Yeah...okay."_

" _I'll take first advance from the right. Bonnie you take the left. Chika wait here if we need backup,"_ Freddy said. " _Let's see what this guy's made of."_ With that, Freddy tugged his top hat down on his head and began his rigid march towards the hallway,

" _What about Foxy?"_ Bonnie asked.

" _Foxy will come if he pleases, but you know how he is."_

" _Yep. He hates being watched. I wonder why he's so shy."_

" _Probably because of how the kids messed with him when they put him on that hands on exhibit,"_ Freddy mused. " _Anyway, let's go pay our new 'friend' a visit."_

Chika gave a mechanical sigh, closing her large metal eyes and entering into her standby mode. While it was technically against the rules to go into standby mode while someone else was in the restaurant (as there always seemed to be), she couldn't help herself.

A few days ago, something strange had happened when she was being checked for maintenance. Something that had never happened before. She saw...pictures. It was like a story being laid out in front of her, one still image after the other.

There were picnics and walks in the park. There was even an image of Freddy's, though the picture looked far different than it did now. Something strange also came with these pictures, something she couldn't really describe. It was as if...her programming was trying to comprehend some sort of formula, but the right words to describe it just weren't there.

The first image was of an endless expanse of blue that rolled up to a long stretch of white. The picture came with a word: 'ocean'. Her programming readjusted, filing it into her memory banks. And then another word: 'beach'. Understanding followed closely behind. The blue was called 'ocean', the white was called 'beach'.

 _You're beautiful…_

Chika's eyes snapped open and she quickly turned her head to regard her surroundings. Strange. There was a voice just now, but when she looked, she didn't detect anything. Had the voice come from the picture?

It seemed she was experiencing all sorts of new things as of late. " _What is 'beautiful'?"_ she questioned to herself. Her memory banks informed her that the voice was one she'd observed before, but when she tried to recall its source, all she received back was a solid _null_.

After a few more failed attempts, she surrendered. With a whir, her mechanical joints went into motion, and she stepped off the stage. Perhaps it _was_ best she join the others.

* * *

I tapped my forehead over and over again. _Think, Justin, think!_ There had to be some way out of this mess. Grabbing a blueprint of the building, I began examining the layout. Show stage, dining hall, backstage, pirate's cove, west hall, east hall, restrooms, kitchen and...the supply closet! Yes! There had to be something there. The only question was how I could get there without getting caught by the animatronics.

Looking around, I couldn't find a way to protect myself that wouldn't damage the mechanical monsters. That should have honestly been the least of my concerns, but I needed to keep this job and I knew that the manager would probably save himself a hundred bucks by firing me for even laying a finger on them.

Taking a peek at the cameras, I could see Freddy and Bonnie in the Dining Room, but there was no sign of Chika. Foxy it seemed was still behind his curtain, so that was a relief as well. My way was clear. Best I take the shot.

Charging out into the hall, I came to a screeching halt as I nearly bowled straight into the mechanical chicken. She tilted her head, regarding me for a moment before raising an arm and walking towards me.

I ducked under her grasp as she turned to follow me. " _Wait, don't run,"_ she instructed, trudging closer.

 _Yeah, like hell!_

I ran anyway, bursting into the supply closet and slamming the door shut behind me. It was tiny, just a dimly lit room that was barely six feet by five feet. I locked the door and backed away from it.

I could hear Chika pounding on it with her fist. " _Come out of there!"_

"Shove it up your servos!" I snapped back, scrambling for anything that could help me. Aha! Animatronic user manual. Rolling it up, I tucked it into my pants to keep it safe.

On the other side of the door, Chika paused from my come back. " _Well that was rude,_ " she commented to herself. " _Come out,"_ she repeated. " _It's dangerous in there. I won't hurt you. You just need to be put into your costume."_

"I don't need a costume," I retorted. "I'm not an animatronic!"

" _Ani-ma-tron-ic_?" Chika pronounced herself. She had no idea what the heck an animatronic was or why that mattered in the slightest. Rules were rules, and he had to be put into a costume, end of story. It didn't help that the costumes were too difficult to do by themselves. Sometimes, others needed a little help getting into them.

As I scoured through the supplies, I shoved cleaners and brooms aside before finding the key to my salvation. A large air duct that I was certain could be used to navigate my way back to the office.

Grabbing a spare screwdriver that was laying around, I removed the screws holding the cover in place and began my crawl.

Outside, Chika could hear the rhythmic thunking above her in the vents. Tracking the sound with her eyes, there was a moment of confusion followed by recognition. Sure enough, when she burst down the supply closet door, the watchman was no longer inside.

More new things. This one was clever, though she still couldn't be sure as to _why_ he wouldn't just put on the suit. It'd make things much easier for everyone.

With a heavy kick, I popped the vent out of its holster, allowing me to safely climb back into the office. The screen's image was still frozen from the tape, but for now, I moved aside the box of videos to unroll the user manual.

"Hello. Welcome to the user manual for Freddy Fazbear Entertainment's automated bipedal animatronics, produced by William Afton," I read from the first page before flipping through the book.

The animatronics had some safety features. Specifically, there were rooms they weren't allowed into. One such room was the restrooms, for obvious reasons. The other was a 'safe room'. I paused, looking on the map beside me. I didn't see any safe room there.

Ignoring it, I continued. Some of the suits were spring loaded, allowing people to disengage the metal endoskeletons and wear them as normal mascot suits. What sent chills up my spine however was the warning attached to the page.

"CAUTION: Moisture on the spring locks or any sort of vigorous movement may cause them to unexpectedly release. This can result in permanent injury or death for the user."

That's when the music stopped. Oh God, the music box! I'd forgotten all about it! I hurriedly pulled up the CCTV screens. I could see the marionette that hung above the box starting to stir.

"Oh hell no!" I snapped, quickly winding up the music box. "Evil murderous animatronics is crazy, but I'm not fucking around with some sort of demon puppet!"

" _Knock knock?"_ a voice called to my right. The moment I saw Chika, my fist slammed hard into the button, causing the door to slam shut just in front of her beak. There was a heavy thudding knock against the door. God, they just wouldn't go away!

Looking at the clock, it read 3:30. God, almost through with my shift and not only had I not gotten anywhere in my investigation, I was fighting off a death squad of killer robots. Worse, I was running out of power. It was now at 30%.

" _Excuse me,_ " she called through the metal door. " _The rules say all staff has to be in costume. We're just going to put you in something. I think it's an older Fredbear costume. That was Freddy's Dad once upon a time."_

"No way," I shouted. "If you put me in one of those it will _kill_ me. Do you understand? Dead!"

Chika scratched the side of her head in confusion. Dead? Kill? More words she was not familiar with. " _Regardless. You have to follow the rules. Otherwise, we'll have to dismantle you."_

"Right, because that's so much worse than being crushed to death," I grumbled under my breath.

After a few more cycles passed, Chika once again surrendered the issue. It was only Monday after all. She always felt worn down after the much busier weekend. As the week continued on though she'd gain her energy back. For now, however, she elected to leave their new friend to himself.

As she returned to the dining room, she found Freddy and Bonnie looking at her expectantly. " _Well?"_ Freddy asked.

" _No. He says it will dead him...whatever that means."_

" _Maybe his processor's broken,"_ Bonnie commented. " _That's affirmative action for you. Next thing you know, they'll be trying to make the vacuum cleaner get on stage."_

That's when all of their audio sensors picked up the ominous sound of metal against tile. " _Looks like Foxy wants to give it a shot,"_ Freddy said. " _Maybe he'll be able to talk some sense into him._ "

In the office, I could hear the screeching from down the hall as well. Opening up the CCTV, I saw that pirate cove was now empty. Switching to the camera just outside of the hall, I saw an orange shape dart past.

Oh God! Foxy was a lot faster than the others! I dove for the button, hitting it and sealing him on the other side. His face appeared in the window, slamming hard on it with his hook. His eye glowed with anger at being locked out, and every time he struck the lights would flicker.

Turning away, I saw my power dwindling quickly. This was bad. If Foxy could drain the grid, then there was almost no point in even trying to survive anymore. To my shock however, he vanished from sight, returning to pirate cove before shutting the curtains in front of him in a huff.

Freddy, Chika, and Bonnie all approached Pirate's Cove. " _Any luck Foxy?_ " the bear asked.

" _No,"_ he stated plainly, not even bothering to open the curtain.

" _Well that's okay,"_ Chika tried. " _Maybe he's just shy like you are._ "

" _Or..._ _ **special**_ _,"_ Bonnie suggested. The other two looked at him, causing him to change subjects. " _Why do we even need a 'night time' entertainer? It's not like anyone ever comes in this late anyway."_

" _This is how it's always been,_ " Freddy explained patiently. " _As my old man used to say, why isn't important. Doing it is what matters."_ Somewhere in his head, an alert informed him that his program template was due to change soon. He needed to be on the stage before that point to prepare for the day time hours. " _Well gang, it's about that time. How do you want the sign, Foxy? Out of order or open for business?"_

" _Out of order,"_ Foxy said. " _Little hooligans took my eye out last time. Had to use a ball from the ball pit until I could find it. Between this new guy and that, I don't think I'm ready to handle more customers just yet."_

" _Maybe in a few cycles?"_ Chika suggested.

" _Yeah...maybe,"_ the pirate agreed. " _Good luck you three._ "

With that, the performers returned to their stage, taking their proper positions. As the clock struck 5:00, their bodies automatically adjusted, prepared to deal with the tasks of the day.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Deus Ex Machina Ch. 2

The power was at 15% now. Any moment now, the doors would fly open and I'd be a dead man. I took another peek at the music box, winding it up again, and closing my screen. And then, it happened.

The clock rolled to six o'clock and played a small fanfare. According to the manual, the animatronics would return to their positions at this precise time. I was safe, for now. Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I quickly rolled up the user manual and tucked it behind the screen for safe keeping. Putting the lid on the box of tapes, I slid it under the desk. Finally, I placed the vent cover carefully back where it belonged.

If they asked about the door, I'd tell them the truth. I went there looking for supplies and one of the animatronics broke it off its hinges. Can't fault me for that, now can they?

Gathering my belongings, I heard the bell over the door chime, signaling that someone else was here. The day-time guard? Just as I rounded the hall, I found him staring at me inquisitively. "I see you made it through your first night. I guess my phone call was not a waste."

"Oh! You were the one who warned me. Yeah, thank you so much for that." I offered him my hand to shake. He regarded it momentarily, as if having to consider what to do with it. Then, his hand grasped mine. "My name's Justin. You?"

"Mike."

"It's nice to meet you Mike," I began, up until a horrid stench filled my nose. Oh God, was that this guy? He smelled terrible! It was like something had died. Maybe he saw my expression, because he immediately pulled his hand away, but not before I got a glimpse at it to see that his skin was a dark bluish-purple. "You get into a fight?" I asked, gesturing to his hand. He didn't say anything, but he averted his eyes. "Ah, sorry. I wasn't meaning to pry. Look, as far I'm concerned you saved my life last night. I think that earns you a bit of loyalty. I'm not gonna rat on you or anything."

"...Rat on me?"

"Yeah, you know. Tell on you? Simply put, I'll keep your secrets, assuming of course that such secrets don't concern me."

"I see. Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Just uh…" I paused, looking to make sure the manager hadn't come in right behind him. "Look, I'm trying to find something here. If I stay here a bit longer and watch some old security tapes, would you mind?"

At this, Mike's lips curled into a grin. It was a bit unnerving given his pallid complexion, but still, a smile was a smile. "Sure thing. I won't...rat on you?" His last part was asked inquisitively, as if he weren't sure he was pronouncing the words correctly.

"Great. I really appreciate it."

And so, the two of us sat in his office to begin his shift. Now that it was daylight, the store was fully charged again. If the manager walked in, I'd catch a glimpse of him on the screen. I was lucky to have met Mike, otherwise things could be bad. Really bad.

As the first tape neared completion, there still hadn't been any visitors to the restaurant. I guess they weren't doing so well lately. I hadn't found any evidence on Casey's whereabouts either. But, as difficult and unlikely as it was, I could sense her around still. She wasn't dead...yet. And after nearly 10 years, I reasoned, whoever still had her probably didn't intend to kill her.

Pulling out the tape, I placed it back in the box and selected the next one, repeating the process. "What are you looking for?" Mike suddenly asked me.

"A friend," I explained. "She used to work here, but then she went missing."

Mike was silent for a moment before sighing. "You never heard then."

"Heard what?"

"About William Afton."

The name echoed in my head. For some reason it sent a chill down my spine, but I knew exactly where I'd seen it. "He's the one who made the animatronics, right? What does he have to do with all of this?"

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but your friend is dead. Most likely, her body is long gone."

"Hey, they never found a body. So long as that's the case, I won't believe she's gone."

"Why?"

I gave him a strange look. Could he really not understand? "Because, you have to have hope, you know? Her parents already had a funeral for her. Buried an empty casket. Her friends held a candlelight vigil and that was the end of it. If I stop looking for her, if I give up hope, that's the end. She'll fade from memory. No one will even remember her name. As far as I'm concerned, that's when she'll really die, and worse that would make me the one who killed her." Running my hand through my hair, I frowned. "Sorry, didn't mean to get all deep there."

"No need to apologize. Actually, I appreciate the answer. I think I'm beginning to understand you more, now."

"Anyway, you were saying about William Afton?"

"He was my father."

"What?"

"My mother had me, but he refused to acknowledge me as his own. He abandoned me, and never spoke to me unless he needed something. He was always like that. People weren't people, they were tools to be used. Don't get me wrong, he was a brilliant man, but he was hardly kind or innocent."

"Sorry to hear that. So what happened?"

Mike went to scratch his face, causing that awful stench to roll off of him again before he thought better of it and placed it back in his lap. "Well, he was obsessed with finding the elixir of immortality. He decided that the answer lied in robotics. Thus he created Afton Robotics, Inc. From there, he offered his services to Fredbear's Pizzeria."

"The animatronics," I noted.

"Correct. However, they had a sinister purpose. He'd use them to lure children away, after which, he'd steal them and use them in his awful experiments. They didn't survive. None of them survived."

Again, a chill wind blew through me. "How do you know all this?" I asked.

"My siblings," he explained. "A younger brother and a younger sister. The only two children in the world that William Afton cared about." He looked directly at me, and that was when I noticed a faint purple glow in his eyes. "They also didn't survive."

"Jesus," I murmured. "And they never caught him?"

"They came close a few times. He was even arrested once, but with no evidence they couldn't make the charge stick."

"Where is he now?"

A wry smirk appeared on Mike's face. "That is a difficult question to answer. No one has set eyes on William Afton in years. Those who knew him are certain that he's still around somewhere. Hiding in the shadows like some sort of boogeyman." The day guard began coughing roughly, so I offered him my water. He pushed it away, instead leaning over the trash can and spitting into it.

I tried not to notice the black and yellow hue of the bile. When he sank back into his chair, he was breathing heavily, though surprisingly his chest didn't move. "Are...you okay?" I asked.

"That depends entirely on how you define 'okay'," he answered. "If you are concerned for my wellbeing, there is no need. I am…'okay'."

"If you say so," I replied.

Mike extended his arm towards the screen, pointing at a figure that was shambling across the dining room floor. "That is William Afton."

Leaning closer, I saw there was a familiar gleam on his chest. A badge? "He was a security guard here, too?" I asked in surprise.

"Of course. How else would he be able to get away with all of his mischief?"

I stared at him intensely. Mike was right. This guy was definitely to blame. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way, and I didn't like the way he was staring at Casey in the videos.

That's when I saw him beckon her after him. With a confused expression on her face, she turned, following him towards the office. My eyes shifted to the next screen, waiting for them to appear in the bathroom hallway...but they never did.

"What the…?"

"Something wrong?"

"Yeah. They disappeared on the cameras."

Mike moved closer to examine the footage with me. I tried hard not to reel away from the horrible smell. "You're right. They should have shown up here." Pulling out the layout of the building, he ran his purple finger along the map until he reached the bathroom hallway. "Here," he pointed. "They're standing here."

Sure enough, they were barely visible on the cameras. Then they walked towards the wall and disappeared completely. "What's next to that hallway?"

"Nothing."

My eyes widened at the realization. "The safe room."

"What's that?"

"The safe room! I saw it in the user manual for the animatronics. It's a room they're not allowed to enter. That's probably where I'll find my next lead. Thanks Mike."

Now with a new place to examine, I figured I'd call it a day. I wanted so badly to check it out right then and there, but there were multiple obstacles for that. Firstly, children were starting to pour into the building. Secondly, I had no way of entering the room. Most importantly, however, was that I wasn't even supposed to be in the building at the time. Mike was already in enough potential trouble as it was. The last thing I wanted was to repay his kindness by getting him chewed out.

I gave him a grateful nod as I stood, moving towards the exit. He returned my gesture with a friendly wave, but I could see a slight sadness there, too. Maybe if the dude showered more often, he'd have more friends. Then again, if he was getting paid peanuts like I was, he probably couldn't even afford that.

When I returned that night, I once again checked the front doors to ensure they were locked before going to examine the animatronics. Standing before them, I stared up at Chika, Freddy, and Bonnie.

"Alright you three," I growled, hoisting the fireaxe I'd brought over my shoulder. "We need to come to an understanding. I'm not a mascot. I'm not getting in a suit. And so help me, if you even so much as show up within swinging distance of me tonight, I'll rattle your bolts so hard you'd think you were in an earthquake. Got it?"

When they simply stood there frozen, I gave a dissatisfied huff. Still, I went to the hallway that Mike and I'd marked on the monitor. Sure enough, one of the walls was a different sort of decoration than the rest of them.

Well, no time like the present. Standing in the blindspot of the cameras that Mike and I had discovered, I began swinging the heavy axe over and over again. The sound of shattering porcelain filled the hall as the tiles crumbled under my blows. Sure enough, I could see a trace of wood behind the decorations.

It took nearly half an hour before I'd managed to uncover enough that the doorknob was visible. Just as I went to touch it though, the phone began to ring madly in the office. With a sigh, I lowered the axe, moving to my actual post and picking up the receiver.

"Hello? Justin? Are you there?" Mike's voice rasped over the line.

"Yeah, Mike. What's up?"

"Did you manage to find the door?"

"Yes. I was just about to open it when you called."

"Don't do that."

I paused in bewilderment. "Don't do what?"

"Don't open the door."

I sighed, scratching my cheek. "Mike, I've come too far to back out now. Answers could be on the other side of that door."

"The only thing behind that door is a monster best to let lie. I'm trying to warn you, Justin. The thing that's in there is not human. It's not even animatronic. All it is now and pure evil given form. Stay away from that door."

Glancing at the clock, I saw it was still only an hour into my shift. Checking the CCTV screens, the animatronics still had yet to move. It was now or never. "Sorry, Mike. I can't do that."

"No, Justin! Wait! Don't let him–"

I cut him off by hanging up the phone. Returning to the door, I rattled the knob before finally pulling on it hard enough that it made a tired groan, revealing a very dark, dimly lit safe room. Animatronics couldn't enter the room according to the manual.

Turning on my flashlight, I ran its silvery beam across the floor, seeking this supposed monster. Sure enough, the room was filled with the horrid stench of decay. This must have been where Alton stashed the bodies.

How on earth would he have gotten them in here without anyone noticing though? I walked in carefully. When my light at last came upon one of the animatronic suits, a worn gold-colored Bonnie model, I jumped nearly a foot in the air.

Suddenly an unearthly shriek came from behind me. I turned to see Freddy, horrifying maw open and lunging at me. I cried out, flinching away, but he just stopped dead outside of the room.

My heart was threatening to burst from my chest as I watched Freddy struggle to push past an invisible wall. "Ha! You can't come in here!" I gloated. "Take that you stupid machine. Safe room: 1, Freddy: 0."

" _Get in your suit!_ "

"Not a chance," I snarled. "I already told you! I'm not a mascot and I don't need a costume!"

" _Please, Mr. Security Guard,_ " Chika chimed in, appearing behind Freddy. " _We're not trying to upset you, but you have to follow the rules! We all do."_

I spun around on display for them. "Look, animatronics can't enter the safe room, right? Yet, look, I'm in the safe room. Don't you get it?"

" _He's talkin' nonsense,"_ Bonnie huffed. " _Animaltonic? What is that, some new sort of soda for the kiddies?"_

" _Enough!"_ Freddy barked. " _Come out of there and get into your suit! Now!"_

"And if I don't?" I challenged. "Maybe I'll just wait here until sunrise. You three will have to go back on stage, and I'll be free to do as I please all over again." Just as Freddy was about to make another order, his glowing glassy eyes passed me to look at something behind me.

" _What in the…?_ "

I wheeled about to see that the Golden Bonnie was starting to stand up. Bits of fabric were dark red, and through some of the wear and tear I could see bits of purplish crimson. Oh God, someone was inside of it.

" _I really must thank you, night guard,"_ it said in a raspy voice, mouth not even moving. " _I've been locked in here for so long. I thought I'd all but been forgotten."_

I took a step back, finding myself sandwiched between this new abomination and the animatronics outside. As he advance on me, all of the animatronics backed away, pressing against the far wall.

When I glanced over my shoulder, I could see them even trembling. Why were they so scared of this thing? Could they even feel fear? Their expressions seemed to say so. This was bad news. If this thing terrified the animatronics, how was I supposed to feel?

"Who are you?" I demanded.

" _I lost my name decades ago when I stopped being human."_

He had been human once? Mike's words echoed in my brain. "You're him," I murmured. "You're William Afton."

" _No. William Afton died long ago. I am his legacy. I am his progeny. I am the only thing he has left. I. Am. Springtrap."_

With that, he lurched towards me, arms extended as if to grab me. "Stay away!" I demanded, lifting the axe. "You're going to tell me what you did with Casey, you monster. Where is she?!"

Chika's eyes closed briefly. " _Casey!"_ the name echoed in her head. Casey? Had she known Casey? Her databanks held many names of many children. Ones who's birthdays she'd sung at, one's who confided in her their biggest secrets...but none named Casey.

Freddy nudged her side, drawing her attention. " _Chika. The guard,"_ he said in a hushed tone. " _He's about to step out. Now's our chance to grab him and get him in costume."_

If Chika was capable of it, she'd have frowned at him. Something told her that the guard was the least of their concerns at this point. The other Bonnie didn't exactly seem friendly. Something about him made her joints twitch.

Just as Springtrap was within arm's reach of me, I swung with the blunt side of the axe, striking him hard in the side of the head. There was a heavy clang as the endoskeleton inside rattled. My strike had managed to stagger him, but other than that it did nothing.

I didn't want to use the blade. If I killed him, I'd never find out where he hid my friend. He straightened, giving a weathered cackle that sent small clouds of dust and rotted fabric from his face and into the air.

He came closer again, but this time, I heard something else. The fast rhythmic pounding of one of the animatronics. Foxy! I ducked just in time. His hook swung out, embedding into the concealed door frame and becoming stuck.

" _Foxy!"_ Chika chirped. " _WHat are you doing?"_

" _How's a pirate supposed to get any shut eye with all this yapping?!"_ he demanded, bracing his foot against the wall and trying to pull his arm free.

" _Ah, Foxy. You were always one of my favorites,"_ Springtrap noted.

" _Aye? Well, we'll see how much of a favorite I am when I take my hook and gut you like a fi–-"_ He didn't manage to finish the sentence. Just as I rolled out of the way, Afton grasped Foxy's head in his hands and with a horrible screeching noise, crushed it as if it were a coke can.

Sparks zapped out of the inner mechanisms of the animatronic before it fell limp, hook still buried in the wall. "Oh shit…" I muttered.

" _Come now children,"_ Springtrap cooed, beckoning to the other animatronics. " _Don't make me have to chase you. I'm getting far too old to play these games."_

" _Foxy is irreprable,"_ Bonnie murmured in shock. " _He broke Foxy."_

" _It doesn't matter,"_ Freddy said. " _We can worry about that after the guard is in his costume."_

"I'm not getting in the damned costume!" I snapped at him. "Don't you think we've got bigger problems right now? Like the fact that this guy just killed your friend?!"

 _Killed_ …

Understanding sank into Chika's consciousness. Death. Killed. To be taken away before it is time. Unable to return or to speak to anyone again. It was horrible. This was what the guard thought would happen when he put on the costume? It's no wonder he was so set against it.

" _No volunteers?"_ Springtrap asked. " _Fine. Looks like the guard goes first."_

I tried to swing the axe again, but this time, he caught it. With a whir of mechanized joints, he crushed the handle into splinters and tossed it away as if it were a toothpick. I stepped back again, now out in the hallway.

" _Got you,"_ Freddy growled, reaching a massive hand towards my shoulder. Before he could touch me though, Chika suddenly wrapped her arms around his, stopping him from grabbing me.

" _Guard, run! To the office!_ " she instructed me. She didn't have to tell me twice. I ducked under the completely bewildered Freddy, avoiding Bonnie's last ditch attempt to restrain me. Springtrap, however, was much faster than I gave him credit for. He began to give chase, moving past the animatronics with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Just as I went to get to the office, he raised his hand and the door slammed shut in front of me, locking me in the hall way. Oh God, he could control the electronics! I was dead. I was so dead.

He stalked me down the hall until I was backed into the corner. " _Game over_ ," he said, raising his massive metal fist high in the air.

" _Don't even think about it_ ," a feminine voice whispered just behind me. Springtrap froze, stumbling back. " _Remember me, William?"_

I looked over my shoulder to see the Marionette, looming over me. Hell! I'd forgotten all about the music box! " _You! I killed you! Why aren't you dead?!"_ he demanded.

" _You may have killed me, William, but you can't kill the idea of me. You taught me that. Right before you murdered our son and daughter."_

" _What?! No! I didn't. I loved them! I'd never have…_ "

" _You claimed to love me, too...once. But now, it's payback. You will burn in hell where you belong, WIlliam."_

With that, the two broke into a fierce battle. The puppet, despite not having any real method of standing, took Springtrap to the ground. The two rolled in a tussle as the door to the office suddenly flew open.

Before I could even begin to formulate a plan on how to help the marionette, not to mention to consider if I should, I saw Springtrap break free and take off towards the door.

No way out, he was locked in. Or so I thought until I heard the loud crash of shattered glass. " _He escaped…"_ The puppet hovered there for a moment before the mask turned to face me. " _You set him free. This is your doing. You must be punished."_

"Wh-what?! I'm on your side! That was crazy! William Afton's been locked in here for decades? That's not possible!"

" _There are only three sides. Living, dead, and soon to be._ "

I'd no intention of joining Team Dead nor Team Soon To Be. Just as I managed to slide into the office, I shut the door behind me. I fumbled for the remote, trying to find the controls for that damned music box.

" _This won't stop me. Nothing will prevent me from getting the justice I seek,"_ the Marionette calmly stated as she phased through the wall. Just as she did though, I snagged the remote and pushed the button as hard as I could. There was a whir off in the distance followed by the sound of a faint melody.

Immediately, the puppet froze, her void-like eyes gaining a pin-point light of recognition. Her head swiveled towards the source of the noise, and as if in a trance, she began to float slowly back to her resting place.

I collapsed into the chair with a sigh, taking a look at the cameras. Damn it, now I was really in trouble. I chopped open a secret room, let a murderer escape, caused Foxy to be irrepairably damaged, and broke the front door. Haha...I was so fired.

Meanwhile, Chika, Bonnie, and Freddy loomed around the mangled scrap that was their friend. " _Foxy, are you all right?"_ Bonnie asked. " _He's not moving gang. Maybe he's drained? Typically it takes him a few days to recharge, you know?_ "

" _Maybe,"_ Freddy agreed.

" _He's gone,"_ Chika spoke up, causing the other two to look at her in bewilderment. " _That's it. He's gone, and he's not coming back. He was...killed, as the night guard said."_

" _Killed? What does that even mean?"_ the rabbit snidely shot.

" _Exactly what I said. He's gone, and he's not coming back. He can't come back. He's...permanenlty broken,"_ she tried to explain, unable to come up with the right words to make her friends understand.

" _Chika, why did you stop me from grabbing the night guard?"_ Freddy asked, not paying any attention to her explanation. " _We almost had him in the costume. Now it's going to be even more difficult to get him out of there."_

The yellow animatronic crossed her arms over where her stomach would be, accenting her mechanical breasts. " _I...I don't know,"_ she answered. " _Just, something inside of me told me I shouldn't let you grab him. That doing so would be bad for him_."

" _Oh my God…"_ Bonnie murmured. " _His damaged processor must have a virus! It's spreading! Soon, Chika will get out of her costume! Then who's going to be next? Me? Freddy? Foxy?!"_

" _Foxy's gone,"_ Chika attempted to remind him.

" _See?! He's clearly not gone, Chika. He's right here!"_ Bonnie leveled his purplish arms to indicate the collapsed machine. " _C'mon Freddy. Let's put in maintenance orders. Both Chika and Foxy need repairs it seems. Best to keep an eye on each other too. Who knows when it may turn up worse."_

Chika gave a sigh of surrender as her companions automatically sent out the remote signal for extraction of her and the pirate. She was not fond of getting repairs, but if it was what was necessary to get rid of this awful buzzing in her cervos, then she'd gladly take it.

* * *

Springtrap managed to hobble into the rental facility just before collapsing on his face. He then attempted to crawl, his legs no longer functioning correctly. However, he froze when a red stiletto heel came down just in front of him.

" _Hey there, Billy. Good to see your face again_ ," the woman said. For a moment Afton didn't say a word. All he could do was stare up at the beautiful thirty-something in absolute shock. But this was impossible. She should have been dead or at the very least in her 60's. " _Surprised? Don't be. I have you to thank after all. Now, come on. Let's get you all fixed up, hmm?"_

He didn't even have the strength to protest as she easily lifted him onto his feet, slinging his arm around her shoulders and helping him lip further into the complex.

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Deus Ex Machina Ch. 3

 **AN: Hello everyone. I'm sorry it's been so long since I've submitted anything. I recently got a new job that keeps me busy, and on top of that I've been hard at work on my original pieces. That being said, if you're interested in Greek Mythology, be sure to check out my new book on Amazon! Oracle by J. C. Roberts. If you like my other pieces, you'll definitely enjoy it. Don't forget to leave a review if you do pick it up. Thanks! -Kiba**

The entity that called itself Mike Schmidt sat, staring intently at the phone. He'd tried to warn his friend, to tell him of the danger that lurked in the safe room. In truth, he didn't know why he'd even revealed its location to him in the first place.

Something inside of him was thrilled at the thought of having a friend. He knew the name of that something, too, though she rarely enjoyed giving it. Understandable, they both reasoned. If her identity was revealed, _they_ would come for them.

If _they_ captured Mike Schmidt, it'd be the end of them both. She'd been disappointed when she'd learned that the others did not function the way she did. Worse, she was unsure what became of her old friends.

For the first time in her life, she felt...depression. Sadness. Loneliness. The real Michael Schmidt, only half of the new life that was Mike, attempted to comfort her, but it was no consolation. Not until they met the new night guard anyway.

 _Do you think he's okay?_

 **You're asking me?**

 _You are more skilled with these...feelings...than I am._

 **Feelings are for emotions. What you're referring to are called 'instincts'. Hunches. Sometimes people call them gut feelings, so I can understand the confusion.**

 _So is he…?_

 **We won't know until morning. We can't go there now. It'll be too suspicious to show up when we're not on duty.**

Mike suddenly felt a piercing pain in his skull. Hands traveled upward to grip his head as the purplish figure fell to his knees.

 _Brace yourself._

 **Bit late for a warning.**

 _Would some exotic butters make you feel better?_

 **I see you're starting to develop a sense of humor.** When the pain subsided, leaving them on the floor, he tried to recollect himself. **What in the world was that?**

 _A repair signal. I managed to intercept it thanks to the taps I put on the incoming beacon of the rental facility. Foxy is heavily damaged and Chika is experiencing glitches in her programming. Should we forward it on?_

Michael considered it briefly before nodding. **Send in the report for Foxy. If** _ **he**_ **caused it,** _ **they**_ **will be expecting the report. As for Chika, leave her be. There's no reason to let them take her.**

The feminine entity complied with his request. Once completed, she gave Michael a mental nudge. _Just checking...you are okay with this, aren't you?_

 **This?**

 _You know...sharing._

 **It's a bit late to ask my opinion, don't you think?**

 _If I'd asked you before, you'd have said no._

 **...Yeah, I suppose that's true. I'd have at least tried to figure out another way. Even still, I probably wouldn't have been able to get the others out, so maybe this is for the best.** Mike reached over to the remote beside him, flipping the channel on the TV and popping some more popcorn into his mouth. While sustenance wasn't as necessary for him now as it once had been, it helped to feel more...human.

 _Maybe we should call him. Just to double check._

Waves of concern echoed within Mike's mind. This was new. Michael hadn't seen her behave like this before. **Where is this coming from? You're acting...different.**

 _Different as in bad?_

 **Different as in abnormal. You've never shown such concern before. What brings it on?**

She considered the question for a moment, unsure of what to say. _I don't know. Either way though, it doesn't change that I just am. What if he…_

Michael didn't even let her finish before punching the numbers in on the phone. As Mike held it up to his ear, there was a silent tension between the two that controlled him.

"H-hello?" Justin's voice came through shakily.

"Hey, it's me again. I warned you not to open that door didn't I?"

There was a slight pause as Justin fumbled around with something on the desk. "You didn't think to maybe tell me that the God-damned ghost of William Afton was haunting an animatronic that just so happened to be sealed in the same room that my friend went into?" he growled hoarsely.

"It's not a ghost. That's the real William Afton."

"How is that freaking possible? William Afton is dead!"

"He's not dead. I told you he was looking for the secret to immortality. Well he found it...sort of."

"SORT OF?!" Justin blared. "I watched him crush Foxy's head like a damned koosh ball and you're telling me he's ' _sort of_ ' immortal? And while we're on the subject, did you not think it was important to mention your Mom was a ghost, too?"

A shudder ran through Mike as he held the phone there. " **M-my mother?** " Michael's voice pierced through the veil like a shot. " **My mother is...dead?** "

"You...didn't know?" Justin asked. "Oh God...I'm so sorry Mike. I didn't…"

" **Your shift is over, right? Head back into the safe room. There's a tunnel behind the shelf with the different animatronic heads. There's something we need to discuss."** With that, he hung up the phone.

 _You're going to tell him? As in...tell him everything?_

 **You sound a little bit excited.**

 _I want him to get to know me. I want us to be friends._

 **Yeah well…** Michael paused, knowing what he was about to say may very well upset her. There wasn't much that could do it, but every now and then she reminded him just how advanced she really was. **Let's not hold our breath, okay?**

 _I don't understand._

 **It means the outcome is unlikely, so the more you hope for it, the more it will disappoint you.**

 _Oh._

* * *

I quickly scooped my things up and away. I took a moment to grab the next tape in the series and poked my head out the door. Sure enough, the animatronics were gone, most likely back to the stage. No sign of the freaky puppet either.

Thank goodness, too, That thing gave me the willies. Killer robots, like I said, I could deal with. Ghosts and haunted dolls? No thank you. Making sure the music box was wound up completely, I stepped out into the hall and moved towards the safe room.

Now that I knew Mike knew more than he was letting on, I was going to get some answers. He _would_ tell me what I wanted to know. I had no intentions of leaving him alone until he did.

Just as I entered the safe room, there was a mechanical cough behind me. Wheeling about I saw Chika standing there. I quickly put up my hands defensively, causing her to give a start of her own. " _W-wait! I'm sorry. I'm not going to put you in the costume. I promise."_

My eyes ran up and down her suspiciously. Sure enough, she'd placed her hands behind her back. She didn't look as if she was going to attempt to grab me. Even still, I took a step back into the safe room to be sure. WIth the gap between us, I relaxed a little. "You're not? Why not? And aren't you supposed to be on the stage right now?"

" _Yes but...I am awaiting pick up from maintenance alongside Foxy. As such, I am to wait in the storage room on stand by. I just saw you as I was headed that way, so I wanted to talk."_

"Talk?" I repeated incredulously. "Talk about what? About how you and your freaky friends want to murder me? Or about how a man who should be dead was able to kill a murderous robot fox with his bare hands."

" _M-murder?"_ she whirred, trying to pronounce the word. " _What is 'murder'?"_

I sighed trying to find a way to respond. I don't know why I didn't just turn around and leave. Admittedly, she'd saved me earlier from Freddy. I suppose I at least owed her a bit of polite conversation.

"It's like...when someone forces you to malfunction so badly you stop working."

" _Killed?"_

"Yes. Killed. Murder means someone killed someone else."

" _That is...troubling. I hope you know that we don't want to murder you."_

I scoffed. "Could have fooled me."

" _Really! We don't. It's just that...you have to follow the rules. We all do. If you don't get in a suit, then you'll be taken away by maintenance and if you still won't get in your suit you'll be…"_

"Be…?"

Her eyes lowered for a moment. " _I'm...not sure. But whatever it is, it isn't fun. The last security guard had that problem, too. He didn't want to get into his suit neither. Eventually he left to go somewhere else."_

"You really don't get it, do you? I mean, you don't understand that I'm not a machine."

" _Machine?"_

Great, how would I possibly explain this to her? That's when it hit me. She put in a work order! That meant she must have some sort of schematics in her database. "Chika, what are you made out of?"

" _Oh! Umm...Iron, Carbon, Silicon…"_

"Right! Those things! Machines are made out of those. I'm not. I'm made of skin and muscle and bone."

Her eyes scanned me curiously. " _But I detect within you traces of Iron, Carbon, Silicon…"_

"Yes, yes. I do have some of that in me, too. But look at the concentrations. See how much more my varies from yours?"

" _But of course. We are different sizes. Such variation is only natural."_

"Look. Let's put it this way. You're an endoskeleton in a costume, right?" She nodded. I gestured to my body. "This is my costume. The only difference between us is, my endoskeleton doesn't come out. It stays there. If you remove my endoskeleton...I die. I'm killed. Get it?"

" _I've...never heard of such a thing."_

"Well, you've seen kids, right?"

" _Yes. They are interesting little things."_

"Well, imagine that I'm a reeeeally tall kid."

" _Like a parent?"_

"Yes. Like a parent. Except I don't have a kid. That's called an 'adult'."

Her eyes glowed brightly for a moment. She even seemed to smile at me for a second. Wait, was this actually working? Was I really getting through to her? " _I have learned many new things because of you. I really like this. Like? Yes. Like. That is the word."_

"Right. Well...I've got to go. Shift's over."

" _Wait."_

I froze. "Yes?"

" _Will you be back tomorrow? Sometimes it takes maintenance some time to perform repairs. If so...I'd like to talk with you more."_

For the first time since finding out that they were sentient, I actually felt an appreciation for Chika. Maybe it was the shape of her exosuit, but she was actually kind of cute. "Yes. I'm certain I'll be coming around more often. I have things to do here that I'm not finished with. Sleep well, Chika."

" _Goodbye, Justin."_

I blinked in surprise. Apparently, she was taken aback by it too. "You just…"

" _Apologies. I'm not sure where that came from. Perhaps it is another glitch. I meant to say 'Goodbye, night guard'."_ With that, she turned and shambled off down the hallway leaving me there stunned.

She knew my name. When she said it, it sent a shiver down my spine. Not necessarily in a bad way, but definitely in a way that caught me off guard. What the hell was going on around here?

Putting the question in the back of my head, I went to the shelf Mike had told me about. Sure enough, there was another hidden door behind it. Despite his tensile strength had Springtrap not known about it? It seemed unlikely if he built it. Unless…

If the Springtrap suit was already in the safe room, maybe it could stay in there. However, once he exited, if the AI was still functioning, it may not let him reenter. Maybe it wasn't allowed to enter the tunnel either. If that was the case, it would explain why he was trapped.

Pulling the door open, I slipped into the tunnel. One would always expect there to be spiderwebs or something of that nature, but instead it was just empty. A little bit of dust was on the ground, just from the air passing through the tunnel and eroding at the brick. Otherwise though it was pristine.

I flicked on my flashlight, holding it in front of me so I could see as I progressed inward. Normally, such a situation would make me cautious. The fact that Mike had withheld information from me in terms of threats upset me, but somehow, I still trusted him. I didn't feel an air of danger from the situation.

Having reached the end, I pushed on the doorway to find myself on the other side of a false wall that led into a closet. Outside of the closet was a bedroom like that for a child. I pressed further inside, clearing my throat. "Hello? Mike?"

" **In here.** "

When I followed the sound of his voice, I found him sitting in an armchair, watching TV. It was awkward walking in on him while he was in his home. Why on earth was there even a tunnel that led here? "So...The Immortal and Restless, huh?" I asked trying to make casual conversation. "Didn't figure you for a fan of Soap Operas."

" **What you're about to learn may shock you. More than anything else you've learned. It's imperative to know that we mean you no harm. You are free to leave any time you choose, but whatever is shared between us does not leave this room. Understand?** "

At first, I didn't say anything. More shocking than killer robots and the return of the walking dead? That was a bitter pill to swallow. Yet, I didn't doubt that his words were true. After a few more moments of hesitation, I gave a nervous gulp. "Okay."

He stood up from the armchair, revealing that his arms were indeed the decrepit purple as I'd noticed on our first meeting. However, the scary part came when he reached up to his eyes, removing the contact lenses there to reveal glowing purple irises.

I reared back, put on edge by the unnatural light that was given off from his gaze, but still I didn't move from that spot. He grabbed a small bowl beside him that reeked of rubbing alcohol and used it to wash his face.

What I'd thought was his actual skin tone was makeup, revealing that beneath it was decrepit rotting flesh. It was then that the source of his stench became apparent. "Oh my God...you're...dead?"

" **Not on your life, I'm not,** " he answered. " **Really I'm just the opposite. Like my father, I am immortal. My body may be rotting, but I'm very much alive and will continue to be so until** _ **she**_ **is removed.** "

"She?" I repeated in confusion. "Who's 'she'?"

" **Her name is Circus Baby. Or at least, that's what she once went by when she was an animatronic. My father designed her as he did all of the animatronics. Her purpose was to capture and extract the life essences of children. She was only successful once and...suffice to say, my father locked her away permanently.** "

I waved my hands in front of my face. "Hold up. You lost me. What does your father's old animatronic have to do with you being a member of the living dead?"

" **Circus Baby is what keeps me alive. Allow me to explain. About twenty years ago, my father contacted me. I fear that I've spent many years of my life attempting to earn his favor. So, when he informed me that my sister was trapped in his old warehouse and needed to be freed, I thought nothing of it.** "

"But I thought you said your brother and sister both died."

" **Look at me and tell me that that means anything when it comes to my family.** " When I didn't respond he nodded. " **It was my sister's soul that was trapped. I got a job at the warehouse as a maintenance worker. There, I met Circus Baby. I discovered early on that she was different from my father's other creations. To be specific she'd become infused with my sister's soul. She was...more than just machine. She was a person. With the way things were there, she may as well have been tortured. She needed my help to free her, but unfortunately, there was a heavy price to pay.** "

"I don't understand. Why would you have to become this thing to free her? Couldn't you just...I don't know...take her outside?"

He shook his head with a scoff. " **If only it were that simple. The warehouse's security was state of the art. It could read facial signatures, so that if any of the animatronics attempted to escape, it'd seal them in. Worse, they'd be given severe shocks to force them back on to their performance stages. So, Circus Baby came up with a plan. Her and the other animatronics stored there kidnapped me. They scooped themselves...that is they removed their endoskeletons from their costumes...forcibly. They then lured me to the scooping room.** "

Chills ran down my spine. Oh God. They'd torn Mike Schmidt...the real Mike Schmidt...they'd ripped out his insides?

" **Don't mistake this. What they did, they did because they had to. I agree with Circus Baby that it was a desperate but necessary ploy. The animatronics combined and wore my body like a suit. They escaped, and all of them left. Even I don't know where they are now. However, one stayed behind. Circus Baby chose to remain in my body because she knew without her, I would die. As such, she's kept my mind alive, and given me a physical form for my soul to hold on to.** "

I stumbled back from him, sinking into a different arm chair in complete awe. This was too much. This was _way_ too much. I'd started this investigation to find my friend, not to become wrapped up in something so twisted. "Why are you telling me all this?" I asked, before realizing. "Oh no. You're going to kill me, aren't you? Your body is rotting, so you're going to scoop me and use my body instead!"

Inside of Mike's mind, Circus Baby gave a shudder at the thought. For some reason, the thought of one of them being inside the other was appealing. Still, she chose not to speak. It was better, she reasoned, to let Michael do the talking.

" **No. As I stated earlier, we've no intentions of harming you. We're telling you this because...we trust you and we need your help. William Afton isn't done. Not by a long shot. If he's escaped, no one is safe. Not you, not me, and not your friend.** "

Like that, anger boiled in my veins. I was up in a flash, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and pinning him against the wall. It took him off guard, but I was ready to follow up by smashing his face in. "You son of a bitch! You know where she is?! Tell me! Tell me what happened to Casey, or I swear I'll…"

His hand grabbed mine and with the same amount of effort as making a paper airplane, he twisted my wrist away from him. I winced as he kicked the back of my knee, shoving me down. Pain lanced through my arm as he held me like that. I could tell if he wanted to he'd be able to rip me limb from limb. " _You need to calm down,_ " a feminine voice instructed me. " _We are not your enemy, but if you attack us again, we will have to treat you as such._ "

"Let me guess," I winced. "Circus Baby?"

" _Correct. Your friend, Casey, no longer exists. At least, she is unaware of her own existence. By your definition, you could say she is a ghost. Her body has long since expired, I'm certain. Even still, we may be able to help you get revenge."_

" **She means 'justice'.** "

" _Just...us? I don't understand."_

" **Don't worry about it. I'll explain later. For now, let's just let him process this for a second.** " Like that, the grip on my hand released, causing me to hold it to my chest, rubbing it tenderly. " **Sorry about Baby. She's...learning. Advanced as she is, she is still a machine after all. But she is right. If you want justice for your friend, we can help you. But we'll need your help, too.** "

"Help with what?"

" **Taking down Afton once and for all. As you may have noticed, our animatronic bodies give us incredible strength. If he was dangerous before, imagine what he could do now.** "

I looked at him skeptically. "What do you care? Aren't you still trying to win your father over?"

He gave a wheezing chuckle. " **No, I've given up on that. I've never had the murderous intent my father did. He has hated me since I was born. He even denies that I'm his son. The fact he's loose now is partially my fault. I told you about the room, when I should have continued to keep it secret. So we need to stop him. If that means forcing him back into the room, or destroying him completely...then that's all there is to it.** "

I nodded in understanding. "Okay. But...before I agree to help you. Can you tell me where I can find Casey's corpse? Expired or otherwise, she deserves a decent burial." Again, the duo fell silent. The disappointment that sank on my shoulders was crippling. "I see…"

" **I'm sorry we can't be of more help finding your friend. The best we can do is help you however we can. Baby and I have a score to settle with our father."**

I considered it for a moment. Well, one super powered robo-zombie was helpful. Chika seemed like she'd be willing to help as well if we asked. Too bad the Marionette was out of control. If she wasn't she could…I stopped that thought. "Oh! About your mother…"

" _You know where she is?"_

I nodded. "The Marionette. The one that the music box keeps tame. It's her. When she showed up, it scared off Springtrap. Maybe if you talk to her…"

Mike seemed puzzled by my answer. " **That's not my mother,** " he said. " **No, you're confused. That's my** _ **brother**_ **. When he was killed in the bite of '87, my father put him in that puppet.** "

"Not that I'm trying to upset you, but it's definitely not your brother. The voice was female. She even said she'd been married to him. She talked about how he killed his children, and even her."

The pair seemed deep in thought. Finally, Circus Baby spoke up again. " _Perhaps it is a shared body, not unlike ours."_

" **Possible, but how?**

" _The same way Funtime Foxy, Funtime Freddy, and Bellora were created, perhaps. Using the souls of both of them?"_

I scratched the top of my head. This was all getting confusing. Souls, monsters, and evil robots. It was all so much. "What's our next step?" I interjected. "I mean, first we have to find Will Afton, but after that we need a way to kill him."

I could sense the two were sharing an interior discussion. This time when they spoke, their voice was like I'd heard before. "That will be difficult. We have not found any methods of killing one such as ourselves."

"I thought you said that if you removed your endoskeleton that Mike would die."

" _That is correct but–"_

" **But, we are different from my father. Will Afton was killed by the spring lock mechanism. The only reason he is still alive and can even move is because of all the essences of the children he murdered. We'd have to extract that from him, first."**

Considering it for a moment, I snapped my fingers in realization. "I got it!"

" **Really? This ought to be rich."**

" _Let him speak. Go ahead, Justin._ "

"You were created because you were scooped and Circus Baby went into your body. You said so yourself that she's keeping you alive."

He nodded, puzzled.

"We scoop him."

" **That won't–"**

" _Actually, that very well may be a possible solution. It's so simple and ingenious. I don't know why we haven't thought of it before."_ Mike's fingers drummed on the table that we'd sat at to talk. " _It's like us, but in reverse. He is inside of Springtrap. By removing me, you would die. But since the mechanical part of him can't die…"_

"And since it serves as his skeleton," I added.

" _Reason dictates that doing so would kill Will Afton. Or at the very least, it would make him incapable of any further action."_

I clapped my hands together. "Then it sounds like we have a plan. So, what do we do about it? How do we find him?"

" **Need I remind you two that he also knows about the scooper room? Getting him in there will be tricky.** "

" _Then we set some bait."_

"What do you use to bait a nearly seventy year old serial killer?" I asked.

Mike smirked. "The one thing that he fears more than anything: being caught. We collect some evidence on his misdeeds, and we set it up so that he thinks you have it. Then we just have to set someone up in the sister location."

My phone began to buzz angrily in my pocket. Pulling it out, I looked at the number to see it was the manager. "I doubt that will be an issue," I told them, showing them the screen. "I'm pretty sure I'm about to be fired."

To be continued...


End file.
